Abscess -extremely lame

[Shelbss60]

Hi there just wondering if anyone as had a similar situation so last weekend my 24 year old horse became very lame I sent videos to the vet the supplied bute and said to see if helps in 2-3 days .. Tuesday came he was still very lame pulling foot up towards stomach after any weight on foot... barely weight baring the vets came out suspecting a fracture but on arrival decided couldn't be a fracture and looked for abscess.. found a suspected abscess so i have poultice and wrspped .. gave pain relief and now he's on 20 paracetamol and bute twice a day Farrier came out weds and dug out the abscess and hot tub and hot poultice twice a day puss out the hole and the coronet band he's still extremely lame barely moving I'm scared there's something else they are missing?

 

[ycbm]

If he is still very lame 4 days after the farrier opened it then I think you need the vet back with an xray machine. Welcome to the forum, I hope he's better soon.
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[Shelbss60]

If he is still very lame 4 days after the farrier opened it then I think you need the vet back with an xray machine. Welcome to the forum, I hope he's better soon.
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Thank you, I just don't want him suffering awful to see them like this

 

[Shelbss60]

Forgot to mention Farrier looked again Fri and dug a bit more to ensure still draining

 

[gallopingby]

Farriers are usually the first call for a suspected abscess. They know more about feet than vets and are usually pretty good at working things out. I would always go that route first if it was a suspected abscess.

 

[gallopingby]

He could have more than one abscess. Is he on meds and antibiotics? Normally for an abscess l would just poultice but if no improvement an X-ray and stronger meds might be required. Is the field very wet and has he a history of abscesses?

 

[Shelbss60]

Farriers are usually the first call for a suspected abscess. They know more about feet than vets and are usually pretty good at working things out. I would always go that route first if it was a suspected abscess.

he has been twice there has been puss come from the abscess he found but he has said he would expect to see improvement by now he came weds &Fri I hot tub with Epsom salt twice daily and hot poultice he's still barely moving vets on Friday just said get farrier and the report back Mon... he came Fri and did all he could do and said it should help him as it was draining

 

[Shelbss60]

He could have more than one abscess. Is he on meds and antibiotics? Normally for an abscess l would just poultice but if no improvement an X-ray and stronger meds might be required. Is the field very wet and has he a history of abscesses?

he's had an abscess on a different foot about 10 years ago now and he's on bute and 20 paracetamol twice daily

 

[ycbm]

I'm guessing you don't have a lot of experience of abscesses, they can be very frightening with how lame the horse is. But it's normal for the lameness to get a lot better as soon as the abscess is open and draining. I do think you need xrays, especially given his age. There are dangers to the other foot if he remains reluctant to bear weight on the bad one.
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[Equi]

You’ll need the vet tomorrow I’m afraid. They can X-ray and see if there is an abscess still very deep in or if there is any foreign bodies.

 

[meleeka]

At the very least x-rays may well show you how severe the abscess is and if there’s anymore pus anywhere.

 

[Shelbss60]

Thank you I did ask the vets about this Friday but they said to wait hopefully get some answers tomorrow

 

[nutjob]

A normal abscess which is draining would have been much improved by now, so you do need to go for xrays tomorrow. Farriers are great for abscesses but can only do so much.

 

[gallopingby]

I'm guessing you don't have a lot of experience of abscesses, they can be very frightening with how lame the horse is. But it's normal for the lameness to get a lot better as soon as the abscess is open and draining. I do think you need xrays, especially given his age. There are dangers to the other foot if he remains reluctant to bear weight on the bad one.
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I once had a house sitter who was very conscientious but maybe not as experienced with horses as she could have been so l had ‘back up’ in place. The ‘back up’ person had been late morning and everything was fine but a couple of hours later one of the horses developed an abscess. The sitter panicked thinking at least a broken leg and promptly phoned the vet. When l returned home the next day the horse was stabled with a pretty bandage and poultice on being fed antibiotics and Bute. The weather had been a little wet and she was fine within a couple of days but l think it put the sitter off anything other than small ponies and dogs.

 

[dorsetladette]

OP - if it's draining them there should be some relief from the pain (ie. getting less lame). As he's a little older (IMHO) it's time for the vet to x-ray. there may be a foreign body in there that just can't be seen with the naked eye. That would mean the body will continue to try to repel the 'thing' from the foot which will cause more puss to develop.

I've got one currently that is coming right after an abscess. I had the farrier trim and dig out the best he could without compromising the foot to much. Then hot tubbed and hot poulticed for 3 days. He is now out without a poultice but having it cleaned out and antiseptic sprayed everyday. He's still a little sore, but much better.

 

[Haphazardhacker]

Sorry to say yes I have had a similar situation, if you haven’t already you need to get x rays done. My darling 24 year old girl came in lame behind , had vet next day for her routine ligament check up (she did her sdft in November) and her branches have always been monitored 6 monthly as ex polo and I got her when her legs were already in a bad way. So vet had a look at the hind too and as we had farrier next day anyway she said get him to check properly for abscess and also hoof testers etc. She passed these tests and was fine nailing on. Then two days after she went downhill so vet again and she took shoe off,reacted to hoof testers this time and could see a soft spot so dug for abscess and we poulticed and tubbed, days passed and nothing came out, she dug again and then she went down with cellulitis on the same leg so IV antibiotics over the weekend along with paracetamol and her usual anti inflammatories. She then got worse and went down with what we thought was supporting limb laminitis as the other hind had become bad and worse than the original. We did X-rays Monday just gone and found a bad rotation on the original leg and the new bad leg wasn’t too bad. However based on the fact that all the pain meds we gave her weren’t covering it, and aged 24 with already very bad legs and the prospect of months of box rest with even more remedial shoeing that probably wouldn’t work and would put more strain on her fronts which have always been a battle , I made the incredibly painful decision to let her go, I just had too much respect for her than to make her endure any more. So please get x rays as there may be something more sinister going on. I dearly hope that the pus has cleared and your baby is now a lot happier.

 

[Zoeypxo]

How is he today?
I would be pressing for x rays.